Rohan Heath (born 19 July 1964) was the driving force behind the group. He played keyboards, but crucially wrote and produced their songs. Heath had formerly worked with Yargo and A Guy Called Gerald. Urban Cookie Collective’s original vocalist was Diane Charlemagne (b - 22 February 1964, d - 28 October 2015), who co-wrote some of their tracks. The other main members were Simon Bertall (b - 17 October 1967) and Peter Samson (bongos) (b - 15 May, 1968). Guest rappers took part from time to time to create an eclectic mix in the studio.
Heath had learned classical piano as a child, and decided on a career in music after abandoning a PhD at Vermont University. After a tour of Japan supporting the Happy Mondays, he left A Guy Called Gerald to release “Hardcore Uproar” under the title of ‘Together‘, which made number 12 in the UK singles chart in August 1990. After a brief stint with Eek A Mouse, he created the Urban Cookie Collective in 1992.
They achieved a major breakthrough in 1993 with “The Key The Secret”, which peaked at #2 in the UK, #3 in Australia and #5 in Germany. It was originally a track written at home by Heath, in a soul and hip hop vein. After a subsequent re-mix provoked a massive club response it was picked up by the Pulse 8 record label. The follow-up release was “Feels Like Heaven“ which was also very successful. But, slowly diminishing returns met subsequent releases.
Sail Away
Urban Cookie Collective Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh)
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me
So I'm moving on in my own direction baby
You know I can't stay here any longer
There is a place far away, far away
I'm gonna start my journey early in the morning
Before the sun rises and the moon is still aglow
I'm gonna take a trip, I'm gonna sail away
I'll open my mind, see what I find before a brand new day, yeah, yeah
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me baby
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me baby
Now as I leave this world I look back and wonder
Shall I remember all the things that I have seen
Now people to the left of me, people to the right
See me on the mountain top in ways of your bright white light
But when I reach my destination I will pray
That those I left behind me will follow me one day
You take what you can to avoid frustration
That's why I'm coming to the rainbow nation
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me baby
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me (baby)
(We gotta sail away, oh) now as we leave this world (oh)
(We gotta sail away) just you and me baby (you and me)
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me
Now as I climb to the mountain top
Follow me (yeah hey hey), follow me (yeah hey hey)
Follow me, follow me, follow me (oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh)
(We gotta sail away)
(We gotta sail away) just you and me baby
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me (baby)
(We gotta sail away, oh) now as we leave this world (oh)
(We gotta sail away) just you and me baby (you and me)
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me baby
(We gotta sail away) gotta gotta baby
(We gotta sail away) get away now baby yeah
(We gotta sail away) we gotta sail away
(We gotta sail away) you and me now baby
(We gotta sail away) we gotta sail away, we gotta sail away
(We gotta sail away)
The lyrics to Urban Cookie Collective's song Sail Away convey a sense of longing for adventure and escape from the mundane aspects of life. The repetition of the phrase "we gotta sail away" throughout the song serves as a reminder that there is a need for change and excitement in one's life. The singer speaks of needing to move on in their own direction, leaving behind the world as they know it and setting out to discover new experiences.
The song also touches on themes of reflection and introspection. The singer ponders whether they will remember all of the things they have seen in the world and hopes that those they leave behind will follow them one day. There is a sense of urgency to explore and take in everything that life has to offer before it's too late.
Overall, the lyrics to Sail Away suggest a desire for adventure and escape, as well as a need to embrace new experiences and live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
(We gotta sail away) now as we leave this world
It is time for us to depart from this world and sail away to a new destination
(We gotta sail away) just you and me, you and me
We are embarking on this journey together, just the two of us
So I'm moving on in my own direction baby
I am taking charge of my life and moving towards a new path
You know I can't stay here any longer
I have realized that I cannot remain in the same place any longer
I found out through the grapevine
I have heard through informal means
There is a place far away, far away
I have discovered a destination that is distant
I'm gonna start my journey early in the morning
I am going to begin my journey at daybreak
Before the sun rises and the moon is still aglow
I will set out before the sunrise when the moon is still visible
I'm gonna take a trip, I'm gonna sail away
I am going to embark on a voyage to my new destination
I'll open my mind, see what I find before a brand new day, yeah, yeah
I am approaching this journey with an open mind and looking forward to what the new day brings
Now as I leave this world I look back and wonder
As I depart from this world, I reflect on my experiences and have questions
Shall I remember all the things that I have seen
I wonder if I will remember all the sights and experiences from my past
Now people to the left of me, people to the right
As I journey, I see people on either side of me
See me on the mountain top in ways of your bright white light
As I reach the peak of the mountain, I hope to be bathed in a bright white light
But when I reach my destination I will pray
When I finally arrive at my destination, I will offer prayers
That those I left behind me will follow me one day
I hope that those who remain behind will choose to follow in my footsteps someday
You take what you can to avoid frustration
I will take what I can to prevent any obstacles or frustration
That's why I'm coming to the rainbow nation
I am going to a diverse and inclusive destination
Now as I climb to the mountain top
As I ascend to the summit of the mountain
Follow me, follow me, follow me
I urge others to follow me on this journey
(We gotta sail away) gotta gotta baby
We must sail away, it is necessary
(We gotta sail away) get away now baby yeah
Let us sail away and depart now
(We gotta sail away) we gotta sail away
We must embark on this voyage
(We gotta sail away) we gotta sail away, we gotta sail away
It is important that we sail away and begin our journey
Contributed by Alexis Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.